Direct Observation and Quantitative Evaluation of Pore Network Complexity in Hardened Cement Paste With GGBFS by Fib-Sem

Key Points

• The study aims to explore the effects of ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) on the pore structure of hardened cement paste.
• Used FIB-SEM for direct observation of the three-dimensional pore microstructure.
• Conducted image analysis on layered images of the cement paste to evaluate pore structure.
• Examined changes in pore connectivity and volume with varying GGBFS replacement rates.
• Increasing GGBFS replacement reduces the volume of the largest pore and decreases pore connectivity.
• At a 50% replacement rate, the curvature of the pore pathways increases compared to ordinary cement.
• The complexity of the pore network is visually and quantitatively confirmed to increase with the addition of GGBFS.